This week on MIP: Partner move insights, Marks & Clerk to face commissions trial

April 26 2024

Personnel recruitment and a magnet attracts good employee leader

We provide a rundown of Managing IP’s news and analysis from the week, and review what’s been happening elsewhere in IP

Talent Tracker quarterly report: Paul Hastings and Spencer Fane make waves in 2024

Paul Hastings and Spencer Fane were among the top firms to make major intellectual property hires in the first months of this year, according to Managing IP+’s Talent Tracker.

Managing IP launched Talent Tracker, an interactive database that collates reported partner moves across the IP legal market, in January this year.

While the data is not exhaustive, we were able to gather some insights into the top moves announced so far in 2024.

To read the full article, click here.

Marks & Clerk to face ‘secret commissions’ case at trial

A lawsuit accusing intellectual property firm Marks & Clerk of receiving “secret commissions” from service provider CPA Global can proceed as a representative action, after the UK Supreme Court rejected the firm’s permission to appeal against an earlier ruling.

A panel of three judges, Lord Justice Robert Reed, Lady Justice Ingrid Simler, and Lord Justice George Leggatt, refused permission because the attempted appeal “does not raise an arguable question of law”.

The decision backs a ruling by the England and Wales Court of Appeal in January this year.

To read the full article, click here.

Elsewhere in IP

Vaccine showdown

Moderna, Pfizer, and BioNTech were in court this week for a patent trial over COVID vaccines. The England and Wales High Court heard arguments on Tuesday, April 23, brought by Moderna. The company claimed Pfizer and BioNTech infringed two of its patents. BioNTech and Pfizer claim the patents are invalid. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is acting for Moderna while Taylor Wessing is acting for Pfizer and BioNTech.

IP ‘watch list’

Countries including Argentina and Russia have been placed on the ‘priority watch list’ in the US Trade Representative’s Special 301 Report, published on Thursday, April 25.

The annual report names countries the US believes do not have “adequate and effective” protections for IP. Also included in the priority list were Chile, China, India, Indonesia, and Venezuela.

Pink sees red

US singer Pink has applied to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in an attempt to cancel a trademark application by singer Pharrell Williams for the name of his P.Inc business. Pink, real name Alecia Beth Moore, believes Williams’ business is too phonetically similar to her trademark for ‘Pink’.

LG pool

South Korea-based LG Energy announced on Tuesday, April 23, that it will be taking strong countermeasures against “patent free riders”.

The company said it is evaluating all options, including issuing warning notices or filing infringement lawsuits. It also pledged to drive “fair competition in the industry” by establishing a battery patent licensing market.

Cleantech growth

A report by the EPO published today, April 26, has revealed there are more than 750,000 international patent families (IPFs) covering clean and sustainable technologies around the world. The figure represents nearly 12% of all IPFs.

The EPO said there have been two phases of acceleration in cleantech patenting in the last 18-years. Between 2006 and 2012 applications were mainly from EU and Japan-based companies, and between 2017 and 2021 filing activity was led by China.

The report coincides with World IP Day which this year pays close attention to the UN’s sustainability development goals.

Colombia licence

Colombia issued its first-ever compulsory licence on Wednesday, April 24. The licence is for the HIV drug dolutegravir, which is patented in the country by ViiV Healthcare, a joint venture by drug makers GSK, Pfizer, and Japanese pharma company Shionogi.

Core settlement

Flat pack furniture company Core Products, a member of the UK-based Anti Copying in Design group, has settled a claim against three companies it accused of selling infringing items on Wednesday, April 24. Core Products alleged the products, sold under the name Enkel Furniture, infringed its Augusta range. Taylors Solicitors acted for Core Products.

Spanish integration

Spain-based PONS IP announced on Wednesday, April 24, that it had acquired Silex IP, a firm specialising in patent and trademark registrations. PONS IP said the move would consolidate its leading position as one of the top IP consulting firms. Following the acquisition, which will be effective from May 1, both organisations will operate under the PONS IP brand.

Ask Gevers

IP firm Gevers & Orès has rebranded itself as Gevers, the firm revealed on Tuesday, April 23.

Jean-Christophe Rolland, president of the firm, said: "The redesign of our brand identity allows us to unify our French and Belgian brands under the name 'Gevers'. This is a strategic and major objective for our company.”

That's it for today, see you again next week.